Iowa State Names Hilary Seo Dean of Library Services

NISO Member News

Ames, IA | May 6, 2021

Hilary Seo has been named dean of library services at Iowa State University. Seo who has served as interim dean since 2019, as well as associate dean of curation services, will begin her tenure May 10, 2021.

“Hilary has done an impressive job leading the Library through the challenges of the past year, while also advancing critical areas such as open access, digital scholarship, open educational resources, and diversity and inclusion,” said President Wendy Wintersteen. “Working with our outstanding Library faculty and staff and partners across campus, I am confident she will continue to develop innovative initiatives that serve the needs of our scholarly community.”  

Seo holds a bachelor’s degree in physical anthropology from the University of California, Santa Barbara; a master’s in library and information sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and a certificate of advanced study in preservation administration from the University of Texas at Austin. She joined Iowa State in 2003 after serving at the Georgetown University Law Library, and the Getty Research Institute’s Center for the History of Art and the Humanities.

“It’s a great honor to be selected as dean of library services,” Seo said. “I look forward to working with our talented team to support Iowa State’s land grant mission of teaching, research, and extension, working with students, faculty, and staff on campus to make their work accessible around the globe, as well as serving the information needs of all Iowans.”

In making the announcement, Senior Vice President and Provost Jonathan Wickert thanked members of the search committee and campus community for their thoughtful consideration of candidates.

More information on Iowa State’s library services unit can be found at https://www.lib.iastate.edu/about-library/general/facts-figures.